one4review | On 09, Aug 2022

The events of 31^st August 2021 have inspired Henry Naylor to revisit the time he spent in Afghanistan with his friend Sam Maynard (his co producer) when carrying out research for his hit play ‘Finding Bin Laden’. It’s an unlikely but true tale of a comedian/writer who felt compelled to write a comedy about war after he watched John Simpson, the BBC reporter, entering Afghanistan in a burka and declaring that the BBC had liberated Kabul. He asked his old flat mate, a journalist who had direct experience of the conflict, to fact check his play. Instead, this friend organised for him and photographer Sam to fly to Afghanistan and check out the reality for themselves with the aid of an Afghan ‘fixer’. The audience are treated to an often jaw dropping narrative of their exploits with Sam’s haunting and often upsetting images projected onto a screen providing the necessary proof that near death events had actually happened. Henry is brutally honest that, after the success of the play and subsequent film discussions, something was lost along the way and the plight of the Afghan people became a side issue. With the return of the Taliban, and the despair that he felt watching the news last year as the West withdrew their troops, Henry realised that ‘Afghanistan Is Not Funny’ and his play is a testament to that fact.

The play is not without its amusing moments and Henry is an engaging story teller. He had the audience in the palm of his hand, and the final image he uses to end his play will stay with me for a long time. Its not an easy hour, but essential viewing, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

*****

Reviewed by Rona

Gilded Balloon Teviot (Dining Room)

16.00 (1hr)

Until 29th Aug